§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list in the Official Report the number of jobs (a) which have been saved and (b) which have been created in Kirkby since the Government came into office.
§ Mr. John FraserI regret that it is not possible on the basis of the statistics maintained by my Department to estimate the total number of jobs which have been created or safeguarded in Kirkby since October 1974. The following information relates to the jobs created or saved as a result of the various schemes which are administered or largely financed either directly by my Department or by the Manpower Services Commission.
17WJobs saved: The temporary employment subsidy scheme administered by my Department helps to postpone and hopefully avoid job losses. Applications under this Scheme involving 735 workers in Kirkby have been received and are currently under consideration.
Jobs created: The community industry scheme, which is largely financed by my Department, and the Manpower Services Commission's job creation programme directly provide additional job opportunities. In addition the recruitment subsidy scheme administered by my Department, although primarily concerned with encouraging the recruitment of school leavers, may in fact increase the number of jobs available.
Two projects under the job creation scheme have been approved in Knowsley Metropolitan District, of which Kirkby forms part, involving 31 jobs.
The Community industry scheme has a unit covering the Kirkby area based at Prescott, which has been expanded over recent months and now offers 175 places.
Eighty-four applications under the recruitment subsidy scheme in respect of 84 school leavers in Kirkby have been approved.